The One Where Severus was Right
by DarkStar1987
Summary: Third Installment. NO MAGIC. It's been ten years since the wedding and not everything is going smoothly, of course no relationship is ever perfect as Harry and Draco are finding out. Sometimes things aren't just happily ever after, somethings need work!
1. Chapter 1

The one where Severus was right

This is more like an introduction/teaser for the story to come but it's the best way to start it. If you want to have input on what's going to happen then review and make suggestions. I have a rough idea but would love to know what you would like to see happen.

Chapter One

I read the paper with dismay. Draco and I had been married for ten years and now it looked like it was coming to an end. It had been ten average years, starting off hot and heavy and then he started taking over his father's empire. That was when things had gone wrong.

Now I was reading about him and some other guy in the paper and it was breaking my heart. We had two children together, both from surrogate mothers, our son was created with help from Draco, our daughter with help from me.

Hermione and Victor had been married for five years now too and had a one year old boy called Taylor together as well as eleven year olds Noah and Emma. Nicolas, mine and Draco's son was now seven and our little girl Charlotte was four. I loved them to bits and I was terrified about what this would mean to them.

Draco had been gone before I'd woken up this morning and rarely was he back before I went to bed but tonight I would make sure I was still up. I would wait for as long as it took.

Before this I hadn't exactly been happy but I got on with things. I had everything given to me, I didn't work, I was a full time parent to my two children and since Hermione worked long and unsociable hours at the hospital I took care of her three the majority of the time as well.

Even though I hadn't achieved much in my life I was content to just let it be. Severus had warned me on my wedding day that this would be my lot in life if I went through with it. However what he hadn't warned me about and I hadn't expected was the infidelity. I had never thought that he would cheat on me.

I went through my normal routine, putting Taylor in the car and went to pick up the rest of the brood. I felt them all to be mine sometimes, it was nice having so many children. I had always wanted a large family. I had wanted to approach Draco about the two of us having another but I didn't think that was going to happen now.

I made sure that all the children were either doing their homework or occupied by the television before I called Hermione to check to see if Noah, Emma and Taylor would be staying here for the night. She confirmed that they would.

Luckily the house that Draco and I had been given as our wedding gift from all of our parents or guardians had five bedrooms. The master, which obviously Draco and I slept it, Nicolas generally shared with Noah when he slept over and Emma bunked with Charlotte. The fourth bedroom was a play room for all the children to share and it also housed Taylor's cot. The smaller of the five rooms Draco had turned into an office so that he could work from home, as if he didn't already work enough.

I called Draco and left a message with his personal assistant that he was to come home as soon as he got the message as it was urgent. By not stating what the emergency was I hoped that maybe it would speed him up. I knew it was cruel that I was using his concern about the children but I wanted the truth from him.

Draco made it home two hours after I called. I didn't like the fact that when I said urgent his best response time was two long hours.

Taylor was already fast asleep upstairs, I'd allowed Charlotte to stay awake so that she could see her dad. Noah and Nicolas were playing computer games together and Emma was reading a book in the living room.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Draco asked, he didn't look too happy to have been summoned home but I didn't care. Charlotte and Nicolas immediately ran to their Dad, dropping what they were doing and going to him, they hadn't seen him. "Hey there Nicky, Lottie, how are my special little guys."

There was a babble of response which I stood and watched. "Can all you guys go upstairs for a while, Dad and I have to talk for a little while." I said.

Draco looked concerned but I kept my face void of emotion until the children were all upstairs in their room. The first thing I did was show him the newspaper and he at least had the decency to look completely and utterly ashamed.

"Explain it" I said to him, I kept my voice low and my tone calm. I didn't want the children to hear us arguing, it wasn't fair on them.

Draco took a moment to fully read the article before forming a reply. "I'm sorry."

"Is that all you can say? Who is he?" I asked referring to the man Draco had been photographed kissing.

"A no one, it just got out of control, that's all."

"You're damn right it got out of hand. I'm meant to be your husband, we're meant to be faithful to each other." I said to him keeping my voice low.

"I can't be any sorrier and I'll say it as many times as you like but I have a feeling it isn't going to help the matter." Draco said and he too was keeping quiet for the sake of the children.

"I don't know what to do about this Draco, you've publicly embarrassed me, you've done the worst thing possible and worst of all you've done it for the world to see."

"I can't change this Harry. I can tell you that it was a mistake and I can tell you that I love you but that is all I can do."

"What if it isn't enough?" I asked him with tears in my eyes and sorrow and pain in my heart.

"I can't give you anything else Harry, I love you, it was a mistake, we either decide to go on or we can't go forward and this is the beginning of the end."

"What do you think should happen Draco?" I asked him.

"I don't want this to be the end." He said and he sounded truthful and determined.

"Then you have to be here, you need to stop working as much as you do. Your family needs you more than your businesses do." I said to him and I made sure our eyes met and he didn't look away. "If you want this to work Draco then you have to be here to fix it."

"I don't understand what needs to be fixed." Draco said confused and his words made me angry.

"Well clearly it isn't perfect if you're going out and kissing other men, doing God knows what else with them."

"It never went further than a kiss and it was one night that got out of hand. I keep tell you that Harry, I love you, I'm married to you."

"Then prove that you love me, saying it clearly is so easy for you, how do I know you mean it?" I asked, "That's why I'm asking you to stop this obsession you have with work and be with your family, if you can't do that then clearly you don't love us very much at all." I said, my voice wasn't low anymore, though we were not yet shouting.

"If that is what it takes then I'll do it." Draco said but at this he didn't sound so sure when he spoke. At the sound of his tone ten long years of marriage were about to be destroyed.

"I hope that you mean that Draco. If you don't then it'll be over, if you can't sacrifice your work for us then we can't be with you. I really hope you understand that Draco, I really do." I said.

I knew that if Draco couldn't carry out this out and make time to fix our obvious broken marriage and family then we couldn't be together at all. It was going to be a struggle either way and I couldn't predict what was going to happen next.


	2. Chapter 2

The One where Severus was Right

Remember you can have your input on this story so if you would like to see something happen then let me know and I'll see what I can do. Please read, enjoy and review. Drarry love to everyone who has already reviewed.

Chapter Two

Draco slept on a pull out single camp bed in his study that night though I knew he didn't get much in the way of sleep because I didn't either and I heard him moving around most of the night.

I spent a lot of the night silently crying to myself, I didn't know if I was making the right choice by trying to fix our obviously broken relationship. I loved Draco, at least I loved the man that he used to be.

He was someone else now, he was his father and I wasn't prepared to be another Narcissa. I didn't want to just be satisfied with the wealth, the power and the fame that came with the Malfoy name, I wanted more from my life than that.

The next morning when dawn broke I went downstairs and used my time to make a spectacular breakfast. I knew the children would cotton on that something wasn't quite right because I always went into cooking mode when I was upset.

It was part of the cause of Charlotte beginning to get a little chubby as she loved the chocolate chip cookies I made. She was a demon when it came to chocolate. Noah, Emma and Nicolas were more pizza eaters but not just any pizza, pizza hut pizza.

Taylor was the only non-fussy one of the lot when it came to eating, he ate whatever was put in front of him as if he hadn't been fed in days every single meal time.

This morning I spent two hours putting together a breakfast of pancakes, bacon, three types of egg, toast, fried bread, friend tomatoes, mushrooms and baked beans so that no one would go hungry.

It was a Saturday so there was no school run to complete today and Hermione had told me the night before that she would be picking up Noah, Emma and Taylor some point around ten.

She had a rare day off and was making the most of it with her children. Victor was travelling as usual so it would just be the four of them. I thought that it was nice she was finally spending some time with the three of them. Her ambition was over taking her life and I didn't think that she fully appreciated her children sometimes.

I hadn't asked Draco what his plans were for the day as he wasn't up yet and after our argument the previous evening we hadn't spoken much.

I was hoping that he would call off whatever work he had on and spend the day with the three of us but I wasn't holding my breath.

I had come to the decision that if he didn't change his ways and fast then I wasn't going to give him a second chance. This was it, I wouldn't suffer through life just being content, I wanted to make the most of my life, after all I was only twenty-eight.

The children came down first, their need for sleep overridden by their stomachs when they smelt the food. Draco was the last to show his face, Noah and brought Taylor down.

Everyone but me was settled at the table when Draco come into the room. Our kitchen and dinning room was large and open plan so I was able to top up the children's plates as they ate.

"Morning" Draco said to the children before coming into the kitchen and placing a soft kiss on my cheek. I allowed him this as I didn't want a scene in front of the children. "I missed you last night." He whispered to me.

"Would you like breakfast?" I asked him, "There's plenty here."

"Please" Draco said, "I've not had a proper meal in ages!"

"That's because you're never home for dinner." I said as I loaded his plate with the savoury stuff and then gave him a second plate of sugar and lemon coated pancakes.

"Well that's going to change from now on." Draco said as he began to tuck in.

"That's good to hear, isn't it kids." I said as the door bell rang. I checked my watch which was telling me it was half nine.

Hermione was early, I opened the door to her and she bustled inside. If it was possible she was looking even thinner than the last time I had seen her. He schedule as a parent and her life at work meant she didn't have time to stop to think and rarely did she think about eating.

"Hey Mione, everyone is still eating, would you like some, I made plenty."

"No thanks. We have to dash off, we're going to visit Grandad."

"So you two are talking again?" I asked her, Hermione and her dad had been at odds ever since she had found out about the pregnancy with the twins. They rarely spoke and he now had a new wife and a nine year old son Dalton.

"Not really but he wanted to see Noah, Emma and Taylor, he's not seen Taylor yet so we made arranges to see him this weekend."

"I know you two have your differences but you really should sort things out so you can at least be civil with him. At least he's taking an interest in his grandchildren."

"Yes but my children are older than their Uncle, it's just odd. And that woman he married, don't get me started on her, she's awful!" Hermione said and I laughed.

"They've been together for a while now though, they must be happy." I said, "Besides look at you, you've achieved everything you wanted and more despite being a teenage mum, just like I said you would."

"Yeah and I only managed because of you Har, you know that." I smiled and blushed at her compliment. "We really have to have a night in, the two of us soon and talk but we have to rush off now. Noah, Emma, we have somewhere to be." She said to her eldest two children while grabbing Taylor.

Once Hermione, Noah, Emma and Taylor were gone the house was almost silent. Nicolas helped to load the dishwasher while Charlotte cleared the table while I supervised.

"So what do you two want to do today?" I asked them both. Draco was still sat at the table, head in hands, clearly thinking.

"Can we go to the London Aquarium dad?" Nicolas asked.

"Or the Zoo." Charlotte said excitedly.

"How about we let your Dad decide." I said, "He's taking us out today for a family day."

"Let's go to the Zoo." Draco said, "The Aquarium will be hugely busy with tourists and the queues will be too long."

"The Zoo it is." I said but I was sceptical. Draco was up to something and I wasn't sure what but I was convinced he was. After ten years of being together I knew how his mind worked.


	3. Chapter 3

The One where Severus was Right

Chapter Three

I had been sceptical about our trip to the Zoo, something about it hadn't felt right. I'd seen Draco fiddling with his blackberry before we'd left and again throughout the ride there.

Nicolas and Charlotte were over the moon with excitement about the prospect of spending the day with both of us. It had been so long since we had been out as a family.

I didn't want to let my guard down long enough to enjoy it though and I was right not to. As soon as we pulled into the car park our car was swarmed with the media. Someone had clearly tipped them off and I couldn't help but blame Draco.

All day we were followed round by cameras, snapping our every move. I noticed that Draco made a lot of movements to put his arm around my waist and place odd kisses on my cheek every now and again. He even interacted and played with Nicolas and Charlotte more than usual.

He was acting like a completely different man and I couldn't help but feel that he was doing it for the cameras rather than for us.

I played along, not wanting to upset the children or ruin their day out. It had been so long since they had spent time with their Dad and I wasn't spiteful enough to want to ruin it because I was angry with Draco.

When we sat down to lunch I leant in very close to him so it looked as if I was being affectionate and whispering something beautiful into his ear. What left my lips however was nothing sweet or nice.

"I know what you're doing and believe me when we get home we are going to talk."

At my words Draco's face took on a horrified expression but he did his best to hide it and we carried on with our day out.

True to my word when we got home I sent Nicky and Lottie upstairs to wash and get ready for bed, we had eaten dinner out tonight so now it was quite time. I heard the shower start in the masters en-suite and in the family bathroom telling me both of the children were doing as they were told.

"I know you engineered today to make yourself look good after yesterday!" I said to him outraged.

"I didn't know so many were going to turn up, I just needed one picture of us out as a family, I didn't mean for a whole swarm of them to show up."

"But that's work, it's your image in the press. It makes me look like even more of a fool because right after you're announced as a cheat and a liar I'm seen out with you and our children pretending as if nothing happened."

"I thought that was the point, we were going to pretend that nothing happened and try and fix our relationship?"

"I said we were going to fix our relationship, I never said we were going to pretend that nothing happened." I said becoming angrier about the fact that he had thought I was able to just forget about it. It wasn't going to be that easy. "You used me and what's worse you used our children."

"I didn't mean for it to happen like that, I would never intentionally use the children in that way, you know that."

"But you wanted the media to be there, you told them that was where we'd be, you knew how I felt about the children being in the press, I don't want them growing up with that. You've humiliated me for the last time Draco, I gave you a chance to forget about work and just spend time with you're family and you chose to use it as an excuse to make yourself look better."

"What are you saying Harry?" Draco asked looking crestfallen and a little worse for wear.

"I'm saying that it isn't working at the moment. You're a workaholic and I think you need to work out what's more important to you. You can't expect to have everything. I never see you, our children never see you. I think that it's for the best if you just leave for a while, think about what you want."

"You don't mean that, surely you don't. I don't think I can cope without you Harry." He said and he sounded desperate.

"I do mean it Draco and if you didn't think that you could cope without me then you should have thought about that before you did what you did. I love you, I love you with all my heart but I won't be second best to your work. I won't have our children be second best either."

"I'll change, I promise you I'll change." He said and now his tone had gone beyond desperate.

"I'm sorry, I gave you a chance to change today and you blew it. I wanted it to be perfect, I wanted you to see that there is more to life than work and money but you can't, you're not ready to see that yet. I think that if you lose us then you might realise." I said and even as I spoke my heart shattered, I didn't think that I could be without him either but I had to stand strong, I had to be firm.

"Give me another chance, I'll prove it to you tomorrow."

"How many chances do you expect me to give you, two, three, maybe more? If I keep giving you another chance then it'll be never ending."

"But I love you, I don't want to lose you or the children."

"In this entire conversation that is the first time you've mentioned them. I think that maybe this will be a god thing, not just for you but for both of us." Draco shook his head in disbelief. "Pack your bags, say goodbye to the children, don't worry about explaining anything to them I'll do that."

Draco was crying at this point and the sight of him doing so made me want to cry as well but I kept myself strong and didn't let his emotions conquer mine.

I wasn't sure I was doing the right thing but I knew in the long run if we were all going to be happier then this was the way that it had to be. I didn't want to go through my life being miserable and I didn't want my children to do that either. That thought was what kept me strong as I watched Draco pack his bags.


	4. Chapter 4

The One Where Severus was Right

Chapter Four

Draco left that night, both of us ending up in tears. The moment he had gone I wished him back again but I didn't call out, I didn't stop him from leaving and suddenly I was a single parent to two children.

Nicolas and Charlotte came downstairs once Draco was gone. Both of them looked upset and as if they had been crying. I had hoped that they wouldn't realise what was happening but they weren't that stupid.

"Daddy, where has Dad gone?" Charlotte asked coming over to where I had sat and crawling into my lap. Nicolas sat down next to me on the sofa and cuddled up to me, I wrapped my arms around both of them as best I could and hugged them.

"Your Dad has had to go away for a little while." I told them, I had expected to have the whole night to work on what to tell them and now I had to make things up as I went along.

"Why?" Nicolas asked.

"I don't know Nicky, he needs to work, that's what your Dad does." I explained.

"Will he come home soon Daddy?" Charlotte asked.

"I hope so Lottie, I really do." I said holding my children close to me. It scared me how mature and how grown up they were for their ages. I hated putting this on their shoulders.

"Do you really think he'll come back?" Nicolas asked and he was looking for a more honest answer than the one I had given his sister.

"Nicky, I can't predict the future but we'll see okay, I want him to come back, I really do. He won't abandon either of you, I swear to you." I said and I hoped that that would be true. I didn't want to think about Draco abandoning the children. "I think it's time you went to bed guys."

"You're not going to disappear are you Daddy?" Charlotte asked hugging me tightly. I returned the embrace, crying at her words.

"I'm not going anywhere Lottie, I promise you, I'm always going to be here okay sweetheart."

Once I had tucked Nicky and Lottie up in their beds I went to mine. I didn't have the strength to do my chores or even just sit and watch the television. I wanted to talk to him, to know that he was okay. I wanted him to be in bed beside me as I lay there struggling to sleep but he wasn't and it was my fault and I missed him dreadfully.

Hermione came to drop off her children at mine on Sunday evening and immediately she knew something was wrong. Instead of leaving right away as she usually had to do she stayed but didn't broach the subject of what was wrong until the children were settled and occupied.

She then sat me down on the sofa and demanded that I tell her what was wrong. I hadn't realised how badly Draco's departure had affected me. She informed me that I looked awful, which did nothing to boost my confidence or my happiness.

"Draco's gone, I couldn't cope with it anymore. I gave him the chance to just be with his family and he used it to make him look good in the press after he cheated on me."

"Oh Harry, I can't deny it, I did see the papers over the last couple days. I can't believe he did that to you." She said and she truly sounded as if she couldn't believe it.

"I've been with him for twelve years, married for ten and he cheated on me. He just doesn't seem to think that we're important enough. He's put work in front of us for years now and this was just the last straw."

"So you asked him to leave then, he didn't walk out?" I nodded, "Did he go willingly?"

"He didn't want to go but he didn't put up much of a fight. I don't know what to think. I don't know where he is or if he's even thinking about us."

"Harry, you know that he loves you and he loves those kids too. He just hasn't got his priorities right, that's all it is. Neither of you are wanting a divorce so not all is lost."

"It feels like it's all over." I said and I knew I sounded pathetic but that was how I felt.

"How did the children take it?" Hermione asked.

"Better than I thought they would but it can't be easy for them. Though he wasn't around anyway so it doesn't really change anything for them. Though Lottie asked if I was going to disappear too and it broke my heart to hear her say that."

"Oh Harry, she's probably just worried that you're going to leave too now that Draco's gone. You're all she has now."

"I can't feel as if it's all my fault. I sent him away!"

"Don't you dare think that way, he cheated on you Har, you gave him a chance and he blew it. You did what you had to do, I would have done the same thing, though I don't think I would have given Victor a second chance to make things right!"

"I wanted it to work, I really did but Severus was right Mione, I'm not happy. I love my children so much but this life isn't what I wanted. I wanted to do stuff, I wanted to go into forensics and I'm here raising children and being a housewife."

"Then do something with your life, no one is stopping you but you Har. Taylor can start going to nursery a few days a week and I'll hire a Au Pair to take care of the school run, I was going to hire a cleaner anyway. You deserve something better, especially if you're not happy the ways things are."

"You're right Mione, if I don't change things now I never will and I'll regret it for the rest of my life." I said and suddenly I felt a wave of determination taking over my pain at what Draco had done.

Before Draco could come back into my life I needed to sort my life out and that was going to start by getting a job. I had three A levels all at grade A. I didn't have a degree that was true but I was smart and I had a lot to give.

That was how I started, handing out C.V's. Monday morning once the children were all dropped off I took Taylor into town and starting looking for vacancies. A lot of people took one look at my lack of experience and basic qualifications and refused to even take my C.V but a few took it and promised to get back to me.

I felt exhilarated; even though I didn't think I had any hope of being employed I was at least trying. Though it led to my first ever job interview. It was a small company that organized events for rich clients, it was one that the Malfoy's used and frequently but I didn't let that put me off.

The position was for a Personal Assistant but I didn't let that put me off either. I was just happy to have an interview. It was for the following Thursday so Hermione, in an attempt to help had somehow arranged for her to take that day off so she could take care of the school run and of course Taylor for the day. She informed me that she would use the day to look into nurseries in case I got the job and she was hopeful.


	5. Chapter 5

The One Where Severus was Right.

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed this story. I'm glad you're all loving it, I'm working on something else completely separate from this No Magic series I've done. This is the last story in this series so enjoy it while it lasts. I'd love to know how you guys think it should end.

Chapter five

Nervously I prepared for my interview. Hermione had picked up the children half an hour ago and for the first time in many years I was on my own in our house. I didn't like to think about it too much as it reminded me about Draco and the fact that he wasn't here either.

It was a surreal feeling not having to worry about the children for once. I dressed in the smartest suit that I could find that didn't smell musty from being in the wardrobe unworn for so long. I hadn't had an opportunity to dress smartly or even smart casual for so long now.

This however was what was going to change my life and I had to keep that in mind. It was in fact more eventful than I ever could have imagined.

The young man who ran the company was called Oliver Wood. He was the nicest young man I had ever met and it was clearly a stressful job that he was doing.

We chatted for a long time, I had never experienced a job interview before but I thought that it lasted a long time. Oliver had understood about my lack of experience and he had called me in for an interview because he had been the one who had helped organize mine and Draco's wedding.

That conversation led me to tell him why it was I found myself looking for a job. I told him only what he needed to know as I was worried that it would make the papers. I informed him that we weren't together but the separation wasn't permanent, just a temporary thing.

"Well" He finally said, "There are two things I would like to say. One is I would like to offer you the job as my personal assistant and secondly I would like to ask you out for lunch for today. Partly to start teaching you what you need to know and partly because I just want to take you to lunch. If it's too soon we can do it here though."

A sudden feeling of stubborn determination. Draco and I weren't together anymore, not really and besides he had done a lot worse than have lunch with another man. I knew he had kissed him but he could have done anything else. I wasn't to know.

Having lunch with Oliver didn't seem so bad. Besides he was my new boss, it was official. I knew that I was going to agree to it, I had never been with anyone other than Draco so it might be nice to be with someone else just to see what it was like. My one kiss with Severus didn't count as being with someone else.

"I think lunch would be wonderful." I said smiling at the burly young man before me, he had chestnut brown hair and deep hazel eyes that were flecked with gold. He had a beautiful Scottish accent that I found myself being extremely turned on by.

"Wonderful," Oliver said smiling broadly at me, "It'll be my treat, I know a fantastic Italian place around the corner from here."

I was in shock. I couldn't believe that I had been asked out on date, well I as assuming that it was a date. After all lunch wasn't really a date type of meal but it kept it casual and easy going. I didn't know what to think about it really.

I had been attracted to three men in total. Draco, Severus and now Oliver. All three fine specimens of men. I'd been with Draco for so long now I wasn't sure what it would be like with another man however I was willing to give it a try.

I was still fuming at my husband and my anger was driving me forward. Oliver was a handsome young man, though older than me but still he was interested and he had asked me out for lunch, something I couldn't believe that had happened.

We went right from the interview to the restaurant. I found it so easy to talk to him. We had so much in common too. Oliver had broken up with his boyfriend of five years two months ago, there were no children involved because both he and his ex had worked so much.

We had a beautiful three course meal together and Oliver filled me in on all my tasks that I would have to do as his personal assistant. He warned me that he was a very busy man, he ran up to three events a week and it was a high stress job.

I remembered all the elaborate balls and parties that Narcissa had thrown and all the work that had gone into creating them and I could really understand what he meant when he told me ran a hectic life.

Once the meal was over Oliver walked me back to the head office where we shared a kiss to the cheek while we were holding hands. My heart was racing as we said our goodbyes and Oliver instructed me to be in the office eight Monday morning.

It wasn't till the next day when Draco was on the phone to me did I realise what damage had been done by my lunch date with Oliver.

"It's in the paper Harry!" Draco said and even over the phone he sounded upset.

"What's in the paper?" I asked but I thought I already knew.

"You and whoever it was you were on a date with yesterday!"

"He's my new boss, his name is Oliver. It was a business lunch." I told my husband defensively.

"But you don't have a job!" Draco returned.

"I do now Draco, I can't live off your money forever. I told you I needed something more from my life than just looking after the children."

"And what about the children, who's going to take care of them?"

"They're both at school during the day, Hermione is hiring a nanny for Taylor and the nanny will do the school run and I'll be home to do the dinner in the evening."

"I still think you're abandoning them!"

"Do you not want me to have a life Draco?" I asked him.

"I want you to have a life with me and our children, no one else!" He replied.

"So you want me to be a recluse, seeing only the children and you and because you're never home I'd never get adult contact, how is that fair?"

"I just don't want you having lunch with other guys that are obviously attracted to you!"

"And I don't want you kissing other men and never being home but I've had to deal with it!" I said and the argument was beginning to get heated now.

"I've said I'm sorry!" Draco yelled down the phone.

"I've told you it isn't enough, you've chosen your work over your family, that was your decision to make. This is my decision Draco. I've decided to go and do something with my life. If you can't handle that and control your jealousy then we have a problem."

"Then we have a problem because I don't want you going around with other men like you were yesterday!"

"Then that's your problem not mine. If you want to talk about it then we'll be around on Saturday, I'm sure the children would love to see you but I'm not going to shout at you over the phone anymore." I said with certainty to show him that I meant what I said.

"Fine! I'll see you tomorrow!" Draco said and hung up. It was very clear that I had upset him by my actions. I hadn't thought that going for a simple lunch would cause so much upset. I felt like banging my head against a brick wall.


	6. Chapter 6

The One Where Severus was Right

Chapter six

We hadn't even finished breakfast on Saturday morning before Draco arrived, letting himself inside with the key he had failed to leave behind when he had left.

I had been right that the children were ecstatic to see their Dad and abandoned all thought of breakfast when they saw him there.

As Draco hugged them and kissed them I started to clear up. Watching them was heart breaking all over again, though I was glad that he was missing them. However I didn't need the reminder that the children weren't seeing their Dad. Though I had to keep telling myself that they didn't see him when we were together either.

There was a lot going through my mind as Draco joined me in the kitchen, the children clearly occupied with something else so that we might have some alone time.

"We need to talk." He said and he didn't sound thrilled about the prospect.

"I agree, I think that we do." I replied as I loaded the dishwasher.

"Can you stop that for two minutes and talk to me." Draco said irritably.

"I'm sorry but it needs to be done." I said defensively but I did stop but I did so reluctantly. I didn't like a messy house no matter what the reason.

"Is this how it's going to be from now on?" Draco asked, he didn't sound irritable now, in fact he sounded pathetic and even a little sad.

"I don't want it to be." I said plainly as we both stood in the kitchen looking at one another.

"I don't want us to be this way either. Is this what you really wanted, to be with other guys, to have a job?" Draco asked.

"I wanted a job, I don't want to see other people, not really. You're the only guy I've ever been with Draco, why would I want to ruin that? I just need to have my own life."

"Then why do I have to stop working for that? You can have that if you want it, I would never deny you anything that you want."

"It isn't as simple as that. You're working so much that we never see you, you're missing your children growing up, I'm missing you. I want you to work better hours so that at the end of the day when the kids have gone to bed we can snuggle on the sofa. Maybe we could even have some form of a sex life again."

"Right now I can't cut back on my hours, I wanted to tell you the night we argued but I'm opening a nightclub in the city. It's taking a lot of work to get up and running but I'm really passionate about it Har. I'm calling it club Slytherin, I wanted it to be our joint venture, I wanted you to help me run it. You thought I didn't know how miserable you were? I'm not stupid, we've been together ten years, you think I can't tell when you've cried yourself to sleep?" Draco said and he sounded sorry, extremely sorry indeed and my heart melted but I couldn't forgive him so quickly.

"What about that guy you were with, who was that?" I asked, I couldn't let that go, not yet anyway. I needed to know who it was, not knowing was killing me.

"He's just this guy, he's been helping me with the club, promotions and such. He's this big thing in America, every successful club has had him on board. It took a lot to get him here to help me, it was one night out, he came on to me and we kissed. It was nothing more than that I promise you Harry, what the papers didn't show was me telling him about you."

"It's all so much Draco, work and all the publicity around you and our family because we're associated with you. It's messing with our heads." I said desperately. Draco was in the lime light more than I was but it still effected me deeply and I didn't like it. I knew that soon it would start effecting our children too and I didn't want them growing up in the spotlight, it wasn't fair.

"I know it is, but there isn't anything we can do about it. The media love our family, we're better than the royals, we have more scandals than they do and people do love a good scandal."

"Even if it's at the expense of our lives together as a family?"

"Even better, I've grown up with them around me Harry, my dad hated it too but with his rise to number four on the rich list he was a magnet for them."

"I hate them for doing this to us."

"I hate them too."

"No you don't, you use them to your advantage, you position your family to make you look good on camera, you can't hate them all that much if you can do that."

"That was a stupid mistake and it was inexcusable." Draco said quickly, I knew that he was trying not to let our progress unravel and I was starting to forgive him, I should have been used to his charm and the fact that he could talk himself out of anything given half the chance. Maybe it was because I wanted to give him the chance. Whatever it was it was starting to work.

"Damn right it was inexcusable. Promise me you won't ever use our children like that again."

"I promise you with all my heart."

"If you needed something you should have told me, we could have arranged something, the two of us, if that was what you needed. I don't understand at what point in our relationship we stopped communicating with each other and started second guessing one another."

"When my work load doubled as Dad went into semi retirement." Draco said with a sigh and I knew he was reminiscing about the good old days when we had been young and carefree, those days were long gone now. "Harry, I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer it honestly."

"Okay." I said, unsure where this was going.

"If you knew what you know now about what your life would have been like, would you still have married me?" Draco asked.

I hesitated, thinking carefully about my answer, I didn't want to upset him but I didn't want to lie either. "I did know. Remember, Severus told me, predicted that this would be the way it would be. I married you knowing that and I let it happen that way. We both let our lives end up this way, I don't regret marrying you Draco, I never will."

"That's a good answer because I don't regret marrying you either. I'm sorry I've been such an arse. Can you forgive me though, properly forgive me? If you say yes then that's it, it's behind us and it's never mentioned again, not even in arguments."

"You told me it was just a kiss and nothing more and I believe you so I forgive you for that, just like you forgave me when I kissed Severus, however if I ever find out it was anything more than that then it will be up for discussion again because I don't think I can forgive you if you slept with him as well."

"I promise you Harry, there was nothing else to it."

"Then I forgive you."

"Does that mean I can move back in here with you and the children?"

"Yes, it does but you have to try and cut down your work hours. Make it back for dinner every night even if you have to run out again afterwards, I need that from you."

"It's a deal, I miss your cooking."

I smiled as Draco got closer to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me towards him until we physically couldn't get any closer to one another. Then he kissed me and it was long overdue. I missed feeling this close to him, his tongue caressing mine and then suddenly the sound of cheering broke us apart.

Nicolas and Charlotte were stood in the doorway watching us and were clapping loudly. It caused me to blush bright scarlet but Draco just smiled at them.

What do you think? I thought it might be too soon for a make-up chapter but they have to be together for the next bit ... which you'll have to wait and see about!


	7. Chapter 7

The One Where Severus was Right

Chapter Seven

Draco moved back in with us that night and we spent a chilled Sunday together as a family. Nicky and Lottie couldn't have been happier that their Dad was home. I too couldn't have been more thrilled to have him back.

Being without him hadn't been easy and I didn't want it to happen again. I loved my little family so much, it was perfect in so many ways. I had a talented and intelligent son and a beautiful little girl both of them more than perfect in my eyes.

That Sunday night Draco and I curled up in bed, safe in the knowledge that Nicolas and Charlotte were safe in their beds sound asleep.

"Harry." Draco said as I was drifting off to sleep.

"Mmm" I answered.

"Do you want to have another baby?" He asked me and that bolted me out of sleep within seconds.

"What?"

"Do you want to have another baby?" He repeated but it didn't help me to process anything.

"You think that now is the perfect moment to think about extending our family, I thought you only wanted two!" I said confused and sleepy, I wasn't really taking much of this in let alone thinking much about it.

"You don't want to?" Draco asked and he sounded almost hurt.

"It isn't that I don't want to, I would love a large family but I had got used to the idea that he wasn't going to happen. Plus I'm starting work and your always busy, do we have time?"

"We'd make time, just think about it, please." I nodded and curled up closer to him, enjoying his warmth, it was a comfort having him there, so close to me. I had really missed him the nights that he hadn't been there.

"I'll think about it okay." I said and Draco nodded and looked satisfied. We went to sleep after that but it wasn't a completely restful sleep, my mind was buzzing, I didn't know what to think about this latest suggestion.

I was shocked by this, having a third child was a big step. I had always wanted a large family having not really had one at all growing up. However I couldn't help but think that Draco had the worst timing in the world or maybe he had the best timing in his mind.

After all I knew he wasn't keen on me having a job and working, especially not with Oliver Wood. I knew that Draco saw him as a love rival and was extremely jealous of him. I knew I wasn't the most knowledgeable in the ways of love and romance but I knew that much at least.

Little did Draco know that even though I did find Oliver stunningly attractive he didn't have anything to worry about. I wasn't about to throw ten years of marriage down the drain for a fling that meant nothing like Draco almost had.

I had forgiven him for that totally and I wasn't going to bring it up again but I knew that because he had cheated he was going to be constantly paranoid that I was going to do the same thing.

The next morning we were all up early, Draco watching me getting dressed. He was to do the school run this morning and do the pick up later so I didn't have to worry about that for the day.

"Remember that Nicky has football after school till four, I usually pick up Lottie and we go and watch his game. Please don't be late meeting her, she usually has Nicky waiting with her and she doesn't like waiting alone." I said over worrying as usual.

Draco got up from his position on the bed and wrapped his arms around me. "Stop worrying babe, we'll be fine. I know I'm not overly keen on you having this job but if it's what makes you happy then I'm going to be your supportive and understanding husband."

"Thank you sweetheart." I said kissing him.

"I'm going to finalise some of the details of that club today, I'll need your signature on some of the papers."

"What's it for?"

"Just some legal stuff for the club, makes you co-owner. Mean's that it isn't just mine, its ours." Draco said.

"You sure about that, it's a big step."

"It's the right thing, it means that if anything ever happens you're going to be provided for no matter what."

"Nothing is going to happen sweetheart, now how do I look?" I asked stepping back from him and giving him a spin.

"You look gorgeous as ever." Draco said with a smile.

"Thank you, right I'm going to have my mobile on me all day, call me if you need anything. Lunches for the children are in the fridge, their clothes are folded and on the chairs in their room. They know what to do. Make sure Lottie brushes her teeth, she'll avoid doing it if she can get away with it. Nicky is better, he'll just get ready to go but make sure he remembers his football kit, they've both done their homework and it's in their schoolbags, they're in their rooms as well."

"Okay, Harry, babe, calm down. I can handle it, we'll be fine. I promise you. You go and enjoy your new job. Oh and take the Audi, it'll look more professional and besides I'll need the family car to do the school run."

"Wow, you mean that, the convertible? But you love that car!"

"I do love that car but you know what, I love you and those kids more."

I wrapped my arm around his neck, stroking his soft blonde hair. I kissed him several times on the lips. "I love you." I said and hugged him tightly. My nerves were jumping all over the place but I let go of my husband and took a deep breath.

"You are going to be fine babe, I have every confidence in you." Draco said with a smile.

Soon after I left for work after grabbing a slice of toast for breakfast. I had hoped that it would settle my nerves however it didn't really work. I was worried about Draco and the children, he hadn't ever had to deal with the school run before.

He had rarely been around at all and I was concerned about how he would cope but I couldn't think about that. I had to trust him, they were his children too and I had to focus on work. I had never worked before and I needed to focus rather than worry about my family.

So what do you think? Next chapter is when things start going wrong bet you can't guess how ...


	8. Chapter 8

The One Where Severus was Right

Chapter Eight

My phone rang at half past three exactly. I checked the caller id and immediately my heart skipped a beat. It was Draco. Dropping everything I was doing I answered.

"Hey, what's up." I asked and I knew I sounded concerned. Draco however sounded absolutely distraught.

"She's missing, I've called the police but she isn't here."

"What?" I asked unable to believe or to process what Draco had just told me.

"Lottie, she isn't here, she wasn't at the school when I came to collect her."

"Are you at the school now?"

"Yes."

"I'll be right there, don't move."

I hung up, grabbed my things and left with no explanation. I heard Oliver calling after me but I ignored him. By the time I got to the car my phone was ringing and it was Oliver finding out what happened. I ignored it. I didn't care about my job, if what Draco said was true then I just wanted my daughter back.

My heart was thumping and the fear was coursing though me as I raced to the school. I didn't register what speed I was going but I knew I was lucky not to be pulled over.

I arrived at the school fifteen minutes after Draco called me. The panic and the distress that was written all over his face was more than I could cope with. I shook my head unable to believe it. Police were swarming all over the place, clearly searching for something.

"Where is she?" I asked him.

"She wasn't here when I came to collect her, I wasn't late, I swear to you. I waited in the yard like you said, I waited for her to come out but she never did."

"Where's Nicky?"

"Still playing football, he doesn't know. An officer has gone to collect him for us."

"What's happened to our baby girl?" I asked and began to cry. Draco wrapped his arms around me and held me. I felt absolutely terrified. My whole body was numb as the police around us searched.

It didn't take long for the media to show up. The child of a Malfoy, a beautiful little girl had been kidnapped, of course the press were going to be all over it like a bad rash. However the officer in charge of our case, Malcolm, told us that we could use them, to make an appeal to the public.

The search of the school had turned up nothing so we stood up as a family, the three of us and pleaded for Lottie's safe return. It was one of the hardest things I had ever had to do. It made me real, it made the fact that she wasn't here a reality that I didn't want to face. Every inch of me was hurting, I just wanted her in my arms again.

I didn't blame Draco, it wasn't his fault. I clung to Nicolas though, I didn't want to let my boy out of sight, not now his sister wasn't here. I couldn't understand what had happened, why she had been taken. The police wouldn't tell us much, I doubted they wanted to.

This was the only time I thought no news was not good news. I knew the reality of this, the longer she was missing the less likely it was that she would be coming home.

The millions of possibilities of what could be happening to her ran through my mind. I couldn't help but think of Tom Riddle, how he had wanted to rape Hermione and how Blaise had planned to maim and torture me. Now my little girl was in that position and I didn't know what was going to happen to her.

I had seen enough shows like CSI, Criminal minds and Without a Trace in my life to know that sometimes things like this didn't always have a happy ending and I didn't want to think of my little girl never coming home.

I didn't stop crying, I couldn't, not while Lottie was out there alone and scared no doubt with someone who wanted to hurt her.

Eventually they told us to go home, there was no point being at the school, it was clear that she wasn't here, whoever had taken her was long gone. It wasn't doing us any good to be here with the media swarming around us like vultures to their pray.

Malcolm told us that we would do more for Lottie at home. Just in case she had just tried to come home on her own from school or if a ransomed was demanded. We needed to be at home. Malcolm swore that an officer would be with us every minute of the day and night until she was home.

I took Nicky home in the family car, the large 4x4 we owned, Draco drove alone in the convertible. I searched the house when we got home, I knew she wouldn't be there but I had to hope that she might be.

I remembered when we played hide and seek when she was younger, I looked in the spots that she liked to hide and then when I had exhausted all the possibilities I collapsed in her bedroom.

It was painted a light purple, her favourite colour. Her bed spread was white and covered in purple flowers to match the walls. Her purple hippo was lying on her unmade bed. It was her favourite toy, she hadn't been able to go to sleep without it since she was one.

I took it and held it close to my chest as I sobbed. Her artwork was displayed proudly on the wall, the typical things that a six year old would paint and draw. A happy family, a smiling sun, a square house, all painted or drawn in bright colours. She had been such a happy child, it was hard to process that this had happened.

I couldn't think of anyone who could have wanted to hurt her in such a way, I couldn't even imagine someone wanting to kidnap a six year old girl. I had met some heartless people in my life but I couldn't even process who would want to harm my daughter.

Then the most horrifying thought went through my mind. Vernon Dursley. He was dead of course, murdered by Tom Riddle but it was what he had done to me as a child that made me panic. I could hardly breath as I recalled the memories that I had suppressed for so long, not wanting to ever think of them again.

I didn't want my baby girl to go through that. My chest heaved as I struggled to take in breath, a pain erupted in my chest as Draco came to see what was happening. It took him an hour to calm me down and get my breathing back to normal and a fur

Another hour to get me to confide in him what had set me off. Then it was my turn to calm him.


	9. Chapter 9

The One Where Severus was Right

Chapter Nine

I waited up all night. Nicolas did go to sleep but Draco didn't sleep either, same as me. We were so worried about Lottie.

An officer sat with us all night. I was praying for a ransom call because then I would know that she was alright and she wasn't in the hands of a sexual predator. I couldn't bear to think about what was happening to my beautiful princess.

I couldn't cry anymore, I was all cried out. I was now just void of everything. I didn't know how to feel there were so many emotions going round in my mind. Uncertainty, panic, worry, concern, they were all mixed up inside of me and I couldn't focus on one to feel.

Draco held me, we both remained silent the whole night. We didn't really know what to say to each other. I didn't blame Draco for our predicament. It wasn't his fault, it could have happened to either of us.

I just wanted to hear from her, I wanted to know that she was safe. The only comfort I had was that the police were hunting for her tirelessly throughout the night and they weren't going to give up until there was no hope left.

Of course they wouldn't tell us much about what they were doing, no amount of riches would get them to let us into their investigation. All we knew was that they were doing their best. Narcissa, Lucius, Remus and Sirius came to our home and sat with us, all four clearly as devastated as Draco and I but they kept Nicky occupied so that we didn't have to worry.

I wanted to hold him, cling to him and never let him go but currently that position was filled by Lottie's purple hippo toy. We had had to explain to Nicky that his sister was missing, it hadn't been an easy thing for a seven year old to process.

Lottie had been in the youngest reception class and the teacher's were usually so vigilant when it came to child safety. Apparently Lottie's teacher was in bad shape, blaming herself for not seeing what had happened.

I didn't even blame her. She had twenty children in her class, as did every other teacher in the school and it couldn't be easy to keep an eye on all of them, especially in the playground at the end of the day. I wasn't blaming anyone, no one but myself.

I should have been there for her. My heart was aching, even worse than when Draco had left, there was so much uncertainty and it was slowly killing me.

At seven o'clock the next morning was when the first piece of news came to us. They had found her backpack and her school clothes. Even though to me this sounded awful and stomach wrenching the police assured us that it was a good sign.

This showed that it was less likely to be a paedophile. This was good news however what it made it more likely to be was someone taking her for another reason. Apparently there was a high demand on the black market for children like Lily. People who couldn't have children and wanted them desperately.

I was half glad that my little girl wasn't going to go through the same hell as me when I was a child. However not knowing where she was or who she was with still bothered me greatly, not knowing what their intentions were for my little girl were destroying me. I wanted to do more than just sit around and wait for her to be returned to me.

Draco knew how restless I was feeling, I was fidgeting on the sofa and I wasn't a fidgety person by nature. No amount of soothing words or calming touching was going to help me right now.

"Is there anything I can do other than sit here, I can't just sit here anymore." I said.

"I'm sorry but there isn't anything you can do out there other than get in the way of our investigation. We think we've found the gang that abducted her but we can't be sure until we see Charlotte. Her picture is all over the place, they can't just bring her out into the open and risk being spotted. These people have been doing this for a long time and one wrong move from us and we could lose her."

"I just can't sit here anymore, my little girl is out there and I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs!" I said and I was angry but not at anyone, I was angry at myself.

Draco stood up and took me into his arms. His warmth was welcoming and I started crying again, I didn't think that I could but I did and they didn't stop. I didn't know if I would survive if Lottie didn't come back to us.

At half past nine that morning the phone rang. I leaped out of my chair and jumped for it. Of course the police had set up a recording and tracking device to trace any call we might get for the kidnapper. I picked up the receiver as Draco placed the phone on speaker.

"Hello" I said, my voice shaking.

A voice responded, it sounded almost automated, maybe recorded but it was more machine than human. "Five million to be left in a locker number five at Kings Cross Station by midnight tonight or the girl dies."

Then the line went dead, I looked to the officer attempting to trace the call but it had been too short and they had been unable to locate where they had been calling for.

"We're going to pay that right." I said turning to Draco, he didn't respond right away, his hesitance scared me.

"We can't pay, once they have the money they have no reason to keep Charlotte alive, we don't even know if that is even the people that have your daughter." Malcolm said.

"But they said they'd kill her if we didn't pay!" I raged.

"Harry, calm down, please love, we're going to get her back." Draco said trying to comfort and reassure me but words meant very little to me right now.

"Your husband is right, we're going to find her." Malcolm said and he too was trying to sound reassuring. "We have been doing this a long time."

"How many children have you found alive and well?" I asked him and now it was Malcolm's turn to hesitate.

"You are right, the odds are against us but there is a good possibility that she is still alive, if she wasn't we would have found her by now. If the kidnappers want money they will keep her alive until they get it. Giving them what they want isn't the answer."

"Then what is the answer?" I asked.

"Leave it to us, we will do our jobs and we will get her back for you."

I wanted to believe him, I really did but I was starting to lose hope. She had been missing for eighteen hours now. I was losing all faith that I would ever see her again.

* * *

I hope you liked this chapter, this is dedicated to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! A big thank you to everyone though who is reading and reviewing. What do you want to happen to Lottie? I haven't decided on the outcome of the story so let me know what you think.


	10. Chapter 10

The One Where Severus was Right

Chapter Ten

The police organized the whole thing, Draco and Lucius managed to get all the money together that the kidnappers had asked for. For once I was more than grateful for the wealth that the Malfoy's had. Before it had been part of the problem, it had drawn in the media, even though it had given us a comfort able life I hated it so much sometimes.

I had insisted on going myself, Draco too wanted to come so Lucius, Narcissa, Sirius and Remus were to stay with Nicky at the house just in case something went wrong or the kidnappers called again. I wanted to be there in case Lottie was there. Draco had the same reasoning for wanting to be there.

We did everything right and fortunately we were lucky. We dropped off the money in the locker that they had stated and then we waited. Well the police waited with their special unit that had been assembled to deal with this sort of thing and we hung back, hidden.

The wait was horrible, nothing could have been worse but finally someone came. I heard it announced on the radio that we had been given to make us slightly less restless while we waited for whatever was coming next.

It was amazing what being high profile victims could do for us. I doubted we would have had this much attention, I doubted we would even have this many men working our case if we hadn't been such a well known family.

The man who had come to collect the ransom money was a balding middle aged man who made me feel positively sick to my stomach. I watched from afar as he went for the locker, it took all of my restraint to not run up to him and start attacking him.

However that was exactly what the police did when he grabbed the black backpack that we had stashed the money in. He was tackled to the ground, much to the bemusement of passengers all around.

"I didn't do anything!" The man was protesting.

"Where's the girl?" One of the policemen asked.

"I don't know, I never took her!" He said.

"Then how did you know about the money?" He was asked.

"I asked for the ransom but I never took the girl. I just knew that no ransom had been demanded, I just need the money!" He shouted as he was pinned down and his hands cuffed.

My heart sank at his words. He didn't know where my baby was, this had all just been a waste of time. We were still no closer to finding her than we had been the moment she was taken. I was beginning to think that we had no hope left.

Draco seemed to read my mind and hugged me. "It will be okay, we'll get her back." He said, "We can't give up just yet."

"I can't help it, it just seems so hopeless."

"I know but we have to have faith." Draco said and I nodded, it did feel hopeless, no question about it. I hated not knowing but that was all I had.

We trailed back home feeling hopeless and pathetic. I didn't want to face everyone back at the house so as soon as we got back I went straight upstairs, leaving Draco to explain what had happened.

Nicky came to see me as I lay down on the bed. He climbed in beside me and I curled my arms around him. He didn't understand, he was so young. I cuddled him and tried not to cry, it took all my strength not to but I didn't want to show Nicky how upset I really was.

"Are you going to get Lottie back?" He asked me.

"We're going to keep trying until we do." I responded, stroking his blonde hair. He reminded me so much of Draco, he was the spitting image of him and it made me love him all the more.

"Where is she?" He asked.

"I don't know but the police are looking for her."

It was all I could tell him, I didn't know anything. We lay there for an hour before Draco came up to find us. He too joined us on the bed, embracing us all. Nicky started to cry as we lay there and it was heart wrenching.

We all fell asleep there with no thought to our four guests downstairs. The fact they were there allowed us all to rest, knowing that they would wake us if anything happened or she was found. It was the most rest all of us had had since Lottie had vanished.

When I awoke it was morning, Nicky and Draco were still asleep beside me. I detangled myself from them and went into the bathroom. I felt hot and sticky from sleeping in my clothes and was in desperate need of a shower.

I didn't want to make myself feel better though, so avoiding the shower and just grabbing clean clothes I headed downstairs. Remus and Sirius had found the blow up mattress we used for guests and were cuddled up together both sound asleep. Narcissa was curled up on the sofa also asleep.

I didn't know where Lucius was but I could hear him on his mobile. Even with what was going on he had work and business to attend to. He had fully taken over all of Draco's responsibilities and I was grateful for him doing that. I needed Draco's attention fully on his family.

I headed to the kitchen and began to cook whatever I could find. It didn't help to ease my pain but it kept me busy at the very least. Plus I had six people in my house that I needed to feed and I wouldn't let them go hungry.

It was a miss match of items but I laid it all out in the kitchen and set the table for breakfast. It at least kept my mind occupied. That was when the phone rang in the living room and I ran for it, dropping everything that I was doing.


	11. Chapter 11

The One Where Severus was Right

Chapter Eleven

I picked up the phone with shaking hands. I didn't know what I was expecting but the voice on the other end was a relief to me.

"Harry, we have some news for you regarding your daughter." I held my breath as Malcolm spoke. "We raided the place we thought that she would be. There were five other children there but the only evidence of Charlotte we could find was some photographs." He told me and my heart sank that they hadn't found her. "It looks like she had false adoption papers drawn up. We've tracked the woman down and stopped her at the airport, she was trying to broad a plane to America."

"Was Lottie with her?"

"Yes, we've managed to contain the woman at the airport I have sent a car to pick you and Draco up. It's my suggestion that you do not bring your son as the situation isn't stable yet."

"Okay, we'll be ready whenever they arrive." I said and hung up, rushing up the stairs, forgetting all about breakfast. I charged into our bedroom where Nicky and Draco were still fast asleep. "Wake up, they found Lottie!" I said to them shaking them awake.

Draco blinked, rubbing his eyes with confusion, "What?" He asked.

"They found her, we're going to the airport, we have to get ready now!"

"Are you sure they've found her?" Draco asked sitting bolt upright now that his brain had engaged and he had realised what I was saying.

"Malcolm just called, he said that they had adoption papers drawn up for her and the woman who was taking her was trying to take her to America but they stopped her before they got on the plane. We're going to get our little girl!" I said talking so fast it took Draco a little while to figure out what I had said.

Nicolas was awake now too but he was still half asleep, "Can I come Daddy?" He asked me.

"I'm sorry Nicky, they don't know what the situation is going to be like and they don't want to put you in any danger. But Nana Narcissa and Grandpa Lucius are going to be here as well as Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus. They're going to look after you until Dad and I get back and hopefully when we get back we'll have Lottie with us."

He looked close to tears as I told him that he couldn't come but he nodded. I gave him a kiss and a hug. If it had been up to me I wouldn't have allowed him to come with us but equally I didn't want to risk him getting hurt.

Draco and I dressed and then Draco went down stairs to wake everyone else and inform them about what had happened. My nerves were completely electric at this point, I couldn't sit still, I just had to keep moving around.

I used my energy to get Nicky and the others to sit down and eat the mass amount of food that I had made. When the doorbell rang I jumped up and ran for the door, Draco too. It was our car. I kissed Nicky goodbye and we left, everyone else wishing us luck. After the false lead yesterday everyone was hoping that today was the day we got her back and hopefully safe and sound.

It took half an hour to reach the airport from where we lived, the whole drive Draco held my hand but that didn't stop me from fidgeting and feeling extremely aggravated.

No one said anything for the whole duration of the car ride. No one really knew what to say. When we arrived Draco and I flew out of the car and saw Malcolm waiting for us. He beckoned us over to him and we obliged.

"We have arrested the woman who was attempting to adopt Charlotte and take her abroad. Unfortunately she knew exactly what she was doing. When Lottie first went missing it was mentioned to us that you used a surrogate mother for your children."

"Yes, two different women in the end. The woman who helped us have Nicky was already surrogating for another family when we decided to have Lottie." Draco said, "Why is that relevant?"

"It is relevant because the woman who had the papers all drawn up didn't just draw up adoption papers, she is the biological mother, she faked the birth certificate, ensuring it was her name on the mothers side with no father stated, changing Charlottes surname from Malfoy to Webb."

"This is fascinating and as much as I want to know why, I just want my baby back first."

"Understandable, come with me, the airport staff are taking good care of her."

Malcolm lead us to a staff room behind the check in desk and sure enough there she was. She didn't look as clean or as tidy as she usually did and the clothes she was wearing were a bit worse for wear but she was our little girl no matter how untidy she looked.

She ran for me and I picked her up swinging her around and hugging her, tears streaming down my cheeks as I held her, stroking her tangled red hair. Draco came up behind her and wrapped his arms around both of us.

"You're safe now Princess, I promise, you're safe now." I said to her and she clung to me tightly.

"They told me you didn't want me, that you didn't love me anymore and that I was going to live with my mummy." Lottie said "But I didn't believe them, but the nasty men said they would kill you if I made a fuss."

I clutched her even tighter as she spoke. I never wanted to let her go. I wasn't going to let her out of my sight for a good long time.

"I have something for you." I said to her and she lifted her head from my shoulder to see what it was and I brought out from under my coat her purple hippo.

"Puffy!" She declared happily taking him in her arms and cuddling him too.

I felt so relieved to have her in my arms, to have her safe and sound. As we left the airport there were press everywhere, all trying to get their shots of us getting Lottie back. I didn't care, nothing was going to bother me today, not now I had my little girl back. I just wanted to get her back home and reunite her with her brother.

* * *

Okay, one more chapter after this to wrap everything up and then it's the end of the story! Please don't forget to review! I want at least one review before I update with the final chapter. Also hoping to post the first chapter of my new story today as well so go and check it out, it's called The Deal!


	12. Chapter 12

The One Where Severus was Right

Chapter twelve

Having Lottie home was amazing and to have her in one piece was even better. That evening the four of us sat in the living room and watching Shrek. It was our way of celebrating her home coming and the children were more than happy to have the chance to stay up later.

We'd managed to squeeze all four of us on the two seater sofa through some miricle, Lottie was almost asleep and Nicky was lying quietly against Draco, he was beyond exhausted, we all were.

The woman who had taken her had been the surrogate mother that Draco and I had chosen. We had found all of this out an hour or so after we had arrived him. Apparently she had miscarried a baby that she had intended to keep with her boyfriend. He had gotten into her head telling her that it had been a sin to give up her child.

She had then gone a bit mad when he had dumped her, she had then gone on a determined rampage to steal her daughter back. It hadn't mattered to her that she had signed paperwork that Draco's lawyers had drawn up to say that she had no claim to the child whatsoever. Draco's lawyers made everything ironclad without fail. They were the best and that was why the Malfoy's employed them.

I pitied her greatly but I was more than happy that she had been imprisoned.

It had been such a relief having her home. I had lost all hope of having my baby girl at home with me again. It had scared me half to death when she had vanished and I never wanted to go through that again. I was content with my little family.

I had really taken for granted how much I loved my children and even though Draco had cheated I trusted that it had been nothing more than just a kiss. As long as it didn't happen again I was happy to forgive him and let it go. I had finally realised that I didn't need a job to make me happy, I had my happiness in my children and my husband.

Severus had spoken the truth on my wedding day, I had wasted my mind and I had indeed ended up like Narcissa but I wasn't unhappy with it, not by a long shot. I had only thought that I had been because of what Severus had said. What did it matter that I had been bored, there were worse things than being bored occasionally and we had experienced how much worse things could get.

But with Draco's plans to open up club Slytherin I didn't think I was going to be bored again, not if I had as much as in the matter as he claimed I would. I hoped that he would remain true to his word.

I made a mental note to call Oliver the next day and tell him I couldn't work for him anymore. My family came first, no question about it. I needed them and they needed me.

Even though he was right about something's Severus really had no clue about my life and I was glad he didn't. His words on my wedding day had played through my mind constantly since then and maybe because of that they had been doomed to come true.

Two days after Lottie returned home her and Nicky were back at school. I wasn't keen on them going back so soon but I couldn't keep them out of school any longer. They were smart kids and I didn't want them to fall behind too much. Draco and I were to meet up in the afternoon after lunch so we could inspect the premises for the club.

That morning before meeting with Draco I found myself driving to the graveyard where Ron was buried. I wasn't sure why I was compelled to be there but it was like saying goodbye to my past. A sense of closure if you will. I couldn't face going to see Severus and this was the next best thing in my mind.

The grave was easy enough to find but it was over grown and no fresh flowers were placed there. It looked like it had been months, if not years since it had had a visitor. I lay my flowers down next to his headstone.

"Goodbye." I whispered under my breath. It had been so long since I had even thought about him or his family and yet this was my way of making peace with my past and closing a door on it so that I could move forward and forget about the things Severus had said to me.

It was I drove home I past him in the street. I hadn't expected it and I couldn't have been sure that it was even him but in my heart I knew that it was. He had been with another man and they had had a small child, a boy. I hadn't ever pegged him as a father type but I was happy for him and as I drove away from the happy family scene I smiled.

My life was complete, he wasn't hung up on me as he had been on my wedding day. He was happy and the door to that part of my life was no closed and I could finally feel that I was beyond everything that had happened.

It had taken me ten years to get to a place in my life and in my head where I could say that I was happy and content enough to close that door and be happy to keep it closed.

Two years, almost to the day, after that day Draco and I had our third and fourth child. My sperm and the same woman who had carried Nicky helped us achieve the twins. One girl and one boy, Sophie and Dylan.

Draco became a more hands on dad and I had more input in all of the businesses that Draco ran just as he had promised me. It was nice that after being married for so long that we were finally working as a team. We'd finally figured it out.

Lucius finally fully retired to his villa in Spain with Narcissa and when the children were old enough they would travel out there for two weeks every summer which gave Draco and I the opportunity to spend some alone time together. After all four children were a handful.

We sold our home and moved into Malfoy manor as it was beginning to get a little crowded at our previous house.

Club Slytherin was an instant success and we opened three other clubs around the country, Club Gryffindor, Club Hufflepuff and Club Ravenclaw. Where Draco came up with these names I didn't know but they worked for the two of us and they made us a truck load of money every weekend too. Not that we needed the money but it made our lives so much easier, we never had to worry about anything.

We renewed our vows after thirty years of marriage. Our second wedding every bit as perfect as the first of course.

Nicolas followed Hermione into medicine when he was old enough, even though Draco wanted him to take over the businesses. Nicky just didn't have the flare for business that his father did. Charlotte too wasn't interested in become a high flying business woman. She went into the missing persons unit of MI5. Something that I wasn't in the least bit surprised about considering what she had been though as a child.

Sophie and Dylan were much more like Draco even though they were technically from me. When the time came to it Draco taught them both everything they needed and they helped each other to run the Malfoy Empire because they were truly Malfoy's. They worked remarkably well as a team.

I couldn't have been prouder of our children and I couldn't have loved Draco anymore. We survived a lot in our life time and we remained strong and together.


End file.
